The Basket Cases
by Dragonseatingme
Summary: So we have an introverted, terrified-of-attention-nerd, a weird clown boy, a jock who seems to be in a perpetual state of polite detachment, a proud, derisive leader, an apathetic tomboy, an innocent sadist, a boy who looked like he could snap anyone in half except he's a teddy bear and a swimmer who is drowning. Who said Goode High wasn't interesting again? AU. Strong language. T.
1. Heaven is Overrated

_**The Basket Cases**_

**Summary**: An introverted genius, a disguised daughter of a super-star, a future CEO, a bitter, melodramatic Olympic swimmer, a mechanic with a quest for happiness, a girl lost in time and a cuddly little ninja. Who said Goode High wasn't interesting again? AU. Strong language. T.

**A/N: **Yes, I stole the title from The Breakfast Club.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: <strong>Heaven is Overrated

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><p>"<em>She acts like summer and walks like rain<em>

_Reminds me that there's a time to change, hey, hey, hey"_

_-Drops of Jupiter, Train_

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><p><em>Piper<em>

_It's all about change, _Piper reminded herself. _It's about change and growing up. _She clutched the pair of scissors in her hand tighter. Her long, brown hair fell like a smooth curtain framing her face, and she felt like crying when she remembered what exactly she was about to do.

_It's about change change change._

The rest-room smelled of sweat and urine. The walls were graffitied with obscene pictures and smudged lettering that she could barely make out. Though, it was comparatively clean to some of the _other_ petrol bunk rest-rooms she had seen.

She fingered her bangs and rolled the scissors in her other hand contemplatively. She stared at her dirty reflection in the mirror.

She looked pretty.

In one swift snip, she cut off her bangs. They fell into the yellow sink. She stared at them and then back at the mirror. Her hair near her forehead was disfigured but she could hear it, _there's my pretty girl, so pretty, just like mommy. _

Not pretty. Never pretty.

She didn't want to be pretty.

Piper began cutting.

* * *

><p><em>Percy<em>

Goode High was a mixture of geeks and jocks and loners and weird-people-who-didn't-have-a-category-to-fit-in. It had guys smoking near the bleachers, and nerds exchanging info on the Asian Stock Market, and people having sex in empty classrooms.

It was a mess and fucked up and just the place for Percy Jackson to come back home to.

Poseidon stopped a block before the school. There was silence in the car.

"Goode's a pretty good school yeah?" he said lightly, smiling at his son. "Your mom was ecstatic when you got in."

Percy stared outside the windshield.

"Goode has a pretty good swim-team," he muttered and Poseidon's face took a slight frown. "I should be going to Public school, not some fancy, hot-shot Private one."

"Says the hot-shot himself," Poseidon joked. Percy didn't laugh. "C'mon kid, your mom's happy, the school's good, you've got nothing to complain about."

"Goode has a good swim-team," Percy repeated. He turned to look at his father. "I was supposed to join the swim-team remember? First year in High School was supposed to be _my _year. The super-cool freshman bursts in and destroys everyone on the swim-team."

Poseidon laughed.

"So you can be the super-cool senior who kicks everyone's asses."

Percy sighed and unbuckled his seatbelt. "No dad, I can't."

Poseidon sighed. He leant forward and touched Percy's hand.

"Look, I know this wasn't how it was supposed to turn out…."

"No this is _exactly _how it was going to turn out," Percy interrupted. "We both know that."

"Percy…" Poseidon trailed. Percy opened the door of the car. "Look dad," he said. "This is it. Everything's over. We're back where we started." He gestured to the road. "We're in New York now. California's over, Florida's over, London, Paris, Tokyo- we're _never_ going back dad."

"-and, and I'm sorry, I'm being a _fucked_ up piece of shit now, because, because I haven't gotten over it yet."

His voice cracked.

Poseidon started. "You're not-"

"I think I'm going to leave now," Percy interrupted in a low voice. "See you later."

Poseidon sighed.

"Have a good day in school Percy."

He raised his hand and waved at Percy through the window, as he proceeded to walk towards his new school.

* * *

><p><em>Leo<em>

Leo lifted his screwdriver and carefully fixed the another part into the machine.

He walked backwards, admiring his latest improvements. On the dusty, cluttered table, sat the head of a golden dragon. His glanced at the blue-print and then back at the dragon. He grinned.

"Almost there Festus," he said happily. "I've got your head down, and the body'll be ready in no time."

Leo knew he had school in exactly eighteen minutes and it would take fifteen just for him to reach there, but he'd been working on Festus since three a.m. and at some point of time he decided finishing his work was more important than actually, you know, going to school.

He wiped some sweat off his forehead. Maybe since it was the first day of school, the authorities would be lenient? Not a chance, but Leo wasn't worried. If all else failed, he could always get Jason to cover for him. After all, most of the school was eating out of his hand anyway.

He walked towards his calender and scratched out another day. He had exactly one year and 9 months left.

One year and nine months to finally finish creating his happiness.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and stared at the dates.

He felt his phone buzz.

_I cannot believe I am in New York._

Leo chuckled. Before he could reply, his phone buzzed again.

_OMG I JUST PASSED CENTRAL PARK._

He began typing out his reply.

_Calm self. Must not let anyone think you are crazy. _

There was an immediate ping.

_Failed. The old lady in the bus is starting to move her bag of groceries away from me; I have scared her._

Leo burst out laughing.

_Idiot. Do not get locked in a mental institute before coming to school at least once._

A pause.

_Aye aye captain._

As an after-thought, Leo decided to brush up on some of his sign-language. It wasn't very often he got to see Piper anyway.

Damn, Leo sighed, it looked like he would _have _to arrive in school on time now.

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><p><em>Percy<em>

The school authorities weren't informed of his arrival. Well, technically they were, but they only knew Percy Jackson: the kid with ADHD, dyslexia and a broken shoulder; not Perseus Olympus: USA's upcoming champion in swimming who suddenly out-of-nowhere retired after near win in the London Olympics.

That was two years ago.

After seven-hundred-and-thirty-days, three months and sixteen hours, they realized, the miracle boy wasn't going to swim anymore. He had lost his bag of stardust. So he and his dad/coach moved back to New York, to his mom, who had been so _happy _to see them, that- that he felt so _guilty_ for hating the place.

He hated Goode High. He hated New York.

But here he was anyway.

Entering the corridors of the fancy school, with brick walls and banners and stupid posters that said 'Don't Do Drugs' like teenagers actually cared, Percy tried to find the school's office without actually having to converse with anyone. It was the first day of school, so no one actually gave a shit about him, all caught up in the gossip and drama of summer. Percy dreaded the second day of school; people would start to _notice._

He turned a random corner and found two people making-out like their lives depended on it. A tall, well-built blonde guy had a brunette pinned against the wall, their hands running _everywhere_.

Percy felt mildly disgusted.

He cleared his throat. He knew the office was somewhere beyond this corridor and he wasn't going let two hormonal, needy teenagers to make him use the long way to get there.

The pair stopped their face-sucking briefly.

Percy gestured to the corridor. "May I?" he asked mockingly. The blonde glared at him.

"Pardon me?" he asked contemptuously, except Percy couldn't tell if he was actually being condescending or just plain confused. The guy had eyes of a fish. The brunette, however, made her derision _very _clear. Percy nearly rolled his eyes. Yes, he wasn't hot-boy material and looked like those kids you saw hanging around the mall smoking and wondering which shop they wanted to lift later. He was swimmer- lithe, thin, fast- not muscular and hefty.

But hell he'll be the one running away in a fight.

"I was just wondering if you both would be _gracious_ enough to let me pass through the corridor," he sneered.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Do I even know you?"

"Maybe," he answered vaguely with a wicked smile. "I am, after all, very famous." He was, wasn't he? New York's little miracle boy.

But they didn't know that.

The Blondie narrowed his eyes, and stuck his hands in his pockets. Percy noticed the tag of his jacket. _Rich boy huh, _he thought idly.

The girl spoke up again, "You're new here aren't you? Haven't seen you before."

"And the award for best observation goes to Miss Slut here." Percy bowed mockingly.

The girl laughed.

"Slut? Really? _That's _your insult?"

Percy shrugged. "I saw you making out, I jumped to conclusions."

To her credit, the girl did not flinch. Instead she stared resolutely at him. "I like screwing with boys, got a problem with that?"

Percy let a real smile on to his face. "Not at all," he said coolly. "It's nice to see a girl actually admit her dirty little secrets sometimes."

"Dirty?" She laughed. "Boys like screwing girls, girls like screwing guys. It's simple as that. And there's nothing fucking wrong with it."

Percy ran his eyes along the girl's body. Lean and strong- the body of an athlete. "You run?" he asked abruptly. The Blondie shifted slightly and wrapped his hand around her waist.

_Ahh, the alpha male pride. _

"Vice-captain of the girl's track team," she said and Percy nodded.

"Cool."

He glanced at his Finding Nemo watch.

"I'll let you get back to your face-sucking then…." He trailed off. "Reyna," the girl prompted. She turned back to the Blondie who gave Percy one last look before giving his attention to the girl before him. Percy quickly made his way through the corridor, wanting to witness as little of their _activities _as he could.

As he turned he heard the Blondie mutter, "What's up with _that _guy?"

He couldn't hear Reyna's answer.

When Percy reached the office, there was another brunette standing before the office. _What is with me and brunette girls, _he asked himself sardonically.

Except where Reyna had been all self-confident and assertive, this girl looked like all she wanted to do was to fade into the shadows. And Percy wasn't even sure if she was actually a _she. _He couldn't see her face; her hoodie was unisex and her hair was in a boy-cut.

Well, she _did _have the shape of a girl...

It was a girl.

She turned around to face him. Last time Percy checked, guys didn't have eyelashes like that.

She was listening to something the office secretary was saying disinterestedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet occasionally. Her hair-cut was bad, Percy noticed idly. Like someone blind had rammed a pair of scissors into her hair, and just randomly cut.

It was weird. She had a boy cut- which was strange enough, because with the limited knowledge he had about girls, he knew they _really liked hair_- but she also had a weirdly done boy cut, which made it stranger.

He didn't care enough to ask her about it though.

"Ah Mr. Jackson," the office secretary called out. "I was just about to send out a search party for you." She laughed.

_Ha, ha hilarious._

He smiled anyway. "I'm sorry for being late ma'am." The one thing he learnt from crazy press conferences was how to deal with people, make them happy, make them feel that, yeah, I think very single question of yours is very important. Percy thought it was very stupid really- the small talk and the fake smiles- but Rachel, his press manager, always made a great deal out of it.

Rachel. _Rachel. _He missed her.

The lady waved her hand. "Not a problem, not a problem. At least you're here now."

The girl glanced at him and back at the soles of her feet.

"I just informed Miss McLean here of the rules and regulations." She paused. "Oh by the way, miss, please try to avoid wearing hoodies in school."

The girl scowled.

Percy interrupted before she could begin to argue or something. "Ma'am, I'm pretty sure class is going to begin now." The lady laughed. "Quite an eager one aren't you?"

Percy nearly grimaced, so he gave her an extra sugary smile instead. He knew she didn't mean any harm, and she was just being nice. But, Percy didn't want people to be nice.

"Just want to make a good impression ma'am."

The girl fake-gagged at his comment, and the lady glared at her. She huffed slightly, and handed a girl a slip of paper. "Just get your teachers to sign this okay?" The girl rolled her eyes and nodded.

She took the paper and stuffed into her binder. She stared at the lady as if to say, _well can I leave now?_

She was not making a good impression, Percy noticed amusedly. That would hurt her chances of surviving natural selection.

"And Mr. Jackson," the lady turned to him. "Here's yours."

Percy smiled. The girl hiked the bag higher onto her shoulder, and began walking away from the office. Percy had half the mind to tell her to avoid that corridor, but, he shrugged, who cares right?

He idly nodded to whatever prattle came out of the secretary's mouth. Until-

"Ahh Annabeth!" she called out. Percy glanced back to see a tall girl, reading a book, look up. He was rather taken aback by her grey eyes.

"Yes-yes ma'am?" she stuttered out. Percy shifted slightly. The office's lady's face had taken a softer, almost _fond _look.

"Would you mind showing Mr. Jackson around?" she asked. Annabeth turned red. She stammered out, "I-I don't- I think" she paused, when the lady gave her a pointed look. "Okay I will." She looked resigned.

And Percy did not want a guide, not at all.

The office-lady turned to Percy. "Annabeth will show you around today. If you have an questions, please do ask her."

Percy nodded. He glanced at Annabeth again. She was staring at her feet.

The office lady looked victorious. Annabeth slowly began walking towards Percy. When she passed the secretary, she gave her bright beam and imperceptible thumbs-up. Annabeth turned redder.

When she reached Percy, she was twiddling with her thumbs awkwardly, and sort-of half gestured to the corridor and began walking. Percy shrugged and adjusted the strap of his bag.

Now, he had very _very _little experience with the opposite sex. The most crucial teenage years of his life were stolen away by his love for water. And okay, he maybe, sort of, probably fooled around with a few girls in his life, but girls like Annabeth? Never hung out with in his life.

But he was curious anyway.

"So you've been in New York all your life?"

He could see that- see Annabeth sipping coffee in a Starbucks, reading a book, or taking a walk through Central Park- he could see her being, very, well, _human. _Not obsessed with an inanimate object that would never love her back.

Or he was just being very melodramatic.

Annabeth replied softly, "Yeah. Born and raised here."

Percy stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Cool cool."

They fell back into silence, before Annabeth broke it awkwardly. "So what- what brings you here?"

Percy shrugged. "You know, just _stuff. _Mom lives here," he answered vaguely. Annabeth, fortunately did not press. She nodded and satisfied with the fact that, yes, she made conversation, fell quiet again.

She pointed out the labs and a few classrooms occasionally, but other than that the two steered away from proper conversation.

When they finally reached Percy's classroom, they paused. Percy ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, thanks, I guess." He smiled.

Annabeth looked down and picked at her cardigan. "Yeah- yeah, no problem," she muttered. Percy glanced at the slowly filling classroom.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch you name," he said awkwardly after a beat, realizing that leaving without knowing her name would be weird.

"Annabeth," she said softly. Percy nodded. "And my name is-"

Annabeth interrupted. "I know who you are."

And with that she quickly turned around and made her way to her classroom, leaving him dumbfounded in her wake.

Percy found himself with a sudden fascination with one Annabeth Chase.

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><p><em>Annabeth<em>

Annabeth carefully made her way to the front of the classroom.

It was the last day of summer school, meaning official school was beginning the next week.

Annabeth dreaded it.

To most people, the beginning of school would symbolize waking up early and homework and exams and the general suckiness of being a student. But to Annabeth, school meant that ominous pit of horror in her stomach of hundreds of students her age being around her all the time. School meant wearing dark coloured shirts and long bangs and hoodies.

That's why she liked summer school the best. There were only four students other than her, so the stress was miles lower.

She neared her teacher's desk. Professor Chiron smiled at her. She was taking Greek classes this summer so that she could be placed in the highest Greek class school offered. Plus, Chiron was her ultimate father figure.

"Hey- _hey_, Sir," she said brightly. Even though she had known Chiron for _years, _her habit of stammering around him hadn't disappeared.

"Hello Annabeth," Chiron said kindly. "I've got your final report here."

Annabeth bit her lip nervously. "Oh."

Chiron smiled. "You shouldn't be nervous, after all, when have you scored less than a perfect?"

But Annabeth was _always _nervous, always scared, always _oh god oh god what if I mess up, oh god. _She attempted to laugh anyway.

"I've spoken to Dionysus; he said he'll be delighted to have you."

_Yeah, right, _Annabeth thought sarcastically. _Mr. D will be happy to see me only if I run waving a bottle of beer in front of him. _

The Greek teacher, Mr. D, had the notorious habit of drinking all the time, even in the middle of class. He joked about how he was keeping up with his namesake.

Annabeth smiled anyway. "Th-thanks sir," she said sincerely. Chiron affectionately patted her hand.

"School's starting in a week, you know," he said casually arranging some papers on his desk. _I know, _Annabeth wanted to say, _I know I know I know but I don't want to know either._ "Yeah," she said. "It is."

"Are you excited?" Chiron asked. Annabeth pondered for a second. "School's just _school _sir," she replied finally.

Chiron internally sighed.

As she turned to leave, he said softly, "Annabeth, you are a wonderful _wonderful_ person. Please remember that."

She smiled, _maybe maybe maybe sir, but does that really make a difference? _

Walking back to her seat, Annabeth wondered if school would be different this year. If she would walk on stage and deliver an impromptu speech to entire student council fearlessly, or if she would fail a test once, just to know how it feels like, or if she would actually muster up some courage and delete the only number in her favourites list, or- or if she would finally talk to someone without stammering.

She wondered if this school year would be magical.

Annabeth wished for a miracle.

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><p><strong>AN: **Yooo I'm jumping straight into why each character is so fucked up, because let's face it, I'm fucking useless at finishing stories. So this story is going to be word vomit, my rambles, my weird sucky thoughts. It isn't going to make sense AT ALL I'm just going to go there there cry die whatever\

No, no one is going to in character. Piper's not going to be whiny, Annabeth's going to be insecure like hell, Jason's going to be a bastard, Percy is going to be emo and antagonistic and mocking and derisive and a whole lot of objectives you wouldn't use to describe him. Very Fifth year Harry Potter like. Hazel's going to weird, and Frank… Frank's going to be just Frank, because he's awesome and I adore him. Reyna's going to be _the girl, _cause I call bullshit when people look down on girls who wear make-up and party because omg where's her self-respect. She's got tons girl, along with sexy legs and boys hanging off her.

What am I doing with my life?

-dragonseatingme

**Disclaimer: **All rights go to Rick Riordan


	2. Walk on Through a Red Parade

_**The Basket Cases**_

**A/N: **Not perfect, but here's the next chapter anyway.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: <strong>Walk on Through a Red Parade

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><p>"<em>'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need<br>Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why _

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?  
>If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?"<em>

_-Clarity, Zedd ft. The Foxes_

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><p><em>Percy<em>

It struck Percy with perfect clarity that he absolutely had no clue as to what he was doing.

When he was back in the Wright Academy in California, academics had taken a complete back-seat because, obviously, Percy assumed that he would never go back- back to school, back home. He thought that would be it. Just swimming, just water. Just gold medals and competitions and whistles and swim-suits, not grades and report cards and studying.

But he had to fuck up didn't he?

Math class had been hell; he didn't understand a word the teacher was saying. Modern History nearly put him to sleep and Literature had him staring blankly at one of Shakespeare's sonnets, at least appearing to be listening.

When AP Greek rolled in, Percy was considering running away back to California. Sure he couldn't swim anymore, and the Wright Academy had stolen away his childhood and his life and forced him into a sport he never wanted tainted with the greed of winning, but he _knew _people there. He knew Rachel and Grover and they _understood_, understood his hatred and his love for water, his need to swim and his need to drown.

He wanted to go back.

Percy shared only one class with Annabeth which was AP Greek. Being half-Greek, Percy sometimes considered his Greek to be even better than his English. He wasn't surprised to find Annabeth there- all her classes were AP ones.

She was sitting in the second last bench in the row to the right. The seat right next to hers was empty and Percy shrugged his bag off and sat down.

Annabeth immediately grew stiff.

While Percy wanted to know how exactly she recognized him- after all it had been two years since he was last seen in the news, and his body had drastically changed due to the sudden loss of proper exercise- but right now, all he wanted to do was sleep and didn't have the slightest bit of energy or interest in questioning her.

He plopped his head on the desk.

He heard a very familiar voice near the doorway. He glanced up to see Reyna enter with the Blondie. When she noticed him, she only raised an eye-brow in acknowledgement and the Blondie just glanced at him. They both sat down in the last row in the left.

A few minutes later a short girl with bushy brown hair tied back unsuccessfully sat down before him and a Chinese boy, who looked like a wrestler with a fondness for teddies, took his seat right next to her.

They were arguing.

"C'mon Frank!" the girl said. "Stop sulking already."

"I'm not sulking." Frank replied in a very sulky tone.

The girl laughed. Frank crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Hazel we were supposed to take AP Latin remember?"

Hazel rubbed her cheek sheepishly. "Sorry, sorry. I _might _have accidentally messed up a little."

Frank sighed. "I don't even _know _Greek, Hazel. And neither do you. And this is like the top class! How'd we get in anyway?"

"There was dearth in the number of students applying."

Frank moaned and buried his head under his hands.

Hazel laughed again. "C'mon it'll be fun! And plus, it's your last year. Do _something _crazy."

Frank sighed. "I don't need to _do _crazy you know? I'm pretty crazy already."

Hazel knocked his head lightly. "You're so silly." She laughed again. Frank stifled a smile.

"Yeah yeah make fun of the Chinese kid-"

He was interrupted by a loud exclaim near the doorway.

A short, curly haired Hispanic boy stood waving his hands about, gesturing to the classroom. He had a cheeky grin on his face, his bright eyes were twinkling. Behind him stood the brunette Percy had seen earlier.

"The Captain has arrived!" the boy shouted. "Be ready to be awed by my unparalleled prowess in Greek!" Some of the students laughed. One shouted back, "Shut up Valdez!"

His grin widened. "Not unless-"

"Not unless, what?" a voice drawled. The boy turned back in break-neck speed. "Mr. D!" he said sheepishly. "How wonderful to meet you."

Mr. D was a large man who always wore a Hawaiian shirt, and a pair of flip-flops. While there had been speculations for _years_ that the bottle he carried with him contained Vodka, it had never been conclusively proven.

"Get to your seat kid," Mr. D barked, and Leo saluted him. The brunette rolled her eyes and dragged him by his arm to the end of the classroom, before he could open his mouth again. Mr. D waddled in, and slammed some papers on the desk. He then took a long swig from his bottle and faced the class.

He gazed around the classroom, unnervingly.

"Okay, let me make this loud and clear. By the next week a quarter of you would have dropped out. By the next month, half of you would have left. By the end of the semester, I only expect seven of you to remain." He paused. The class was silent.

"Why you may ask? Well I don't like losers. And I don't deal with people I don't like very well. The thing is, every single one of you here is a loser." He leaned forward. "So suck it up and get through the year, or drop out whenever you want to. Frankly, I won't give a shit."

He took another swig. Discreetly Percy rolled his eyes. Drama-queen.

"Now," he said. "There are thirty-three students in this class, and you all will be split into two groups of eight each, and one group will have nine. All of you will work together to submit a paper in three months- anything from Greek Mythology. This will count for thirty percent of your grade."

Half the class groaned. Percy felt Annabeth perk up than deflate hearing his announcement.

_Ahh, _he thought idly. _She wouldn't like group projects very much._

The couple before him were furiously whispering. Percy leaned back and fiddled with his hair. He wasn't too concerned about the project, even though he hadn't worked with people his age for years.

Mr. D spoke out again, "To make it fair each of you will pick a slip of paper from my desk which has three numbers on it."

The students groaned.

He grinned wickedly. "This should be exciting eh? Faster you lazy brats!"

One by one each student stood up and picked a chit of paper. Percy saw the Blondie- whose name was Jason, he learnt- Reyna, the brunette- Piper- and Leo land up in team two. Frank and Hazel ended up in team two as well- Percy could see absolute _relief _on Frank's face. Finally it reached him.

Percy lazily stood up and strode towards the desk. He felt Mr. D's bright purple eyes stare at him. He reached out and picked a chit. _Team two_. He shrugged and walked back to his seat. As he reached his desk, Annabeth nervously passed him on the way to the Mr. D. He could practically _see _her trembling. He tilted his head distastefully. She cared too much.

Annabeth landed up in team two as well.

The seating arrangements were changed. Percy moved to the last bench of his row, while Frank and Hazel shuffled to where he was sitting. Annabeth sat right next to him, and Jason and Reyna took Hazel and Frank's original seats. Leo and Piper sat down adjacent to Hazel and Frank.

They did not speak.

While Percy was new here, he was still painfully aware of the fact that his fellow teammates probably never ever spoke to each other willingly. Jason and Reyna were in the upper echelon of the school's hierarchy, Leo was probably the outcast and Annabeth was the introverted nerd. Hazel and Frank seemed like the normal students, the average ones, the ones that didn't really fit into any category.

And as far as Percy could see, Piper wasn't exactly welcoming either.

He let his head fall on the desk. He vaguely heard Mr. D ask them to translate an entire page from their text-book, but he ignored it. He felt Annabeth open the book though.

He heard Leo's voice cheerfully break the silence. "At least we have Chase. We should ace this." He was grinning. Everyone glanced at Annabeth and she ducked her head in embarrassment.

Reyna leaned back. "Don't call out Chase like that, you know how fucking scared she is of people," she said coolly, running a hand through her long black hair. Percy felt Annabeth stiffen even more.

Leo glared at Reyna. Jason broke out, "There there," he said lifting his hand. "No need to fight." Percy glanced at him. Strange, he expected Jason to be hot-headed. The boy smiled pacifically at the two of them. Percy regarded him curiously. Fancy, branded shirt, neatly combed hair- he definitely wasn't a rebel. But he was making-out in the corridor, so he couldn't be a perfect student. Strange, strange.

Percy felt someone's eyes on him, which broke him out of his thoughts. Hazel was staring.

"…What?" he snapped at her, and she didn't even flinch. Instead she titled her head and said slowly, "You're that swimmer boy right? The guy who dropped out because he got injured."

Percy froze. He felt his eyes go frigid. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said coldly. Frank scowled. "Hazel doesn't lie," he said matter-of-factly. Percy rolled his eyes.

He felt everyone's gaze on him.

Hazel continued, "You were New York's miracle boy right? Broke the state record when you turned eleven."

_Miracle boy, miracle boy. That's you Percy, gold gold gold, always aim for gold, because you're the miracle boy Perseus, make your dad proud, win win win, you have to __**win, **__don't love the sport, win in the sport. Percy you're the miracle boy aren't you?_

He suddenly remembered everything. The smiles and the pictures, the rows and rows of swimming pools in the Wright Academy, the blue _blue _water, the smell of chlorine, the feeling of drowning.

_Drowning drowning, I'm drowning. _

"I'm not swimming anymore," he said softly, coldly. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd _shut up_." He glared at Hazel.

"What the hell man?" Frank started. Hazel lifted her hand to silence him. She smiled. "I think I hit a sore nerve Frank. After all it must be hard to be reminded of how big of a failure you are." Frank fell silent.

Percy clenched his jaw. Despite how innocent Hazel looked, she had the tongue of a snake.

Reyna was staring at him calculatingly, while Jason looked at him with his fish-eyes. Leo was slightly taken aback and Annabeth was very determinedly writing something in her book.

Piper didn't care.

Annabeth broke in softly, "Maybe we should- should just do our work….?" Reyna glanced at her amusedly. Even Leo cracked a grin. "Stop being so sincere Chase, it's just some random class work, Mr. D won't care."

Annabeth looked back down at her notebook. Percy rolled his eyes. _Grow a fucking backbone already._

For the rest of the class Reyna and Jason whispered to each other, while Leo busily doodled something in his notebook. Piper stared outside the window, completely apathetic to what was going on and Hazel giggled at something Frank said.

_So we have an introverted, terrified-of-attention-nerd, a weird clown boy, a jock who seems to be in a perpetual state of polite detachment, a proud, derisive leader, an apathetic tomboy, an innocent sadist, a boy who looks like he could snap me in half except he's a teddy bear and a swimmer who is drowning. _Percy frowned. _What the fuck have I got myself into?_

* * *

><p><em>Piper<em>

When AP Greek ended, Piper followed Leo outside the classroom in relief.

That had been the tensest and most charged situation she had ever been in. Obviously each one of them had clashing personalities. How the hell they were going to last three months, Piper didn't know. It was strange, she realized, because some of them cared too much, some of them did not care at all, and some of them had cared so much that it had broken them.

They all had some issues alright, Piper included.

She stared ahead, listening to Leo hum some random tune under his breath as they made their way to the cafeteria.

She smiled affectionately at Leo. Despite everything the two had gone through, their friendship was still going as strong as ever. Piper knew Leo wanted her to stay, stay longer than just a few months, but honestly….. Piper didn't know. She couldn't handle staying in one place for too long because, a) somebody might recognize her and b) Piper didn't want to form relationships that would eventually _breakcrackburn_.

But Leo- Leo looked so _happy _that Piper didn't have the heart to tell him that she hadn't unpacked all her suitcases yet, in case she had to leave abruptly. He didn't have to know.

Reaching the cafeteria, Piper frowned. She wasn't sure whether vegan food was available.

They sat down in an empty bench near the dustbins. Piper wanted to point out that there were many empty benches near the centre of the room and, as if he was reading her mind, Leo said, "Centre benches are reserved."

Piper raised an eyebrow. Leo laughed. "I know, it's weird. But school's weird, everyone has their own status and cliques."

_And what are we? _Piper gestured.

Leo shrugged. "The outcasts maybe."

Piper nodded. She didn't mind being called an outcast.

She looked at the food being served and sighed. It looked like she would go hungry.

Leo nudged her. She turned back to him. He held out a wrapped burger. "Tofu burgers are still your favourite right?"

Piper felt a large grin grow on her face. _You didn't!  
><em>

Leo beamed. "You owe me for this though. I landed up late in school because I had to stop to buy it." Piper rolled her eyes. _Yeah, yeah whatever, _she gestured.

Leo looked around the room. "Okay I'll go and get myself a sandwich okay?" He paused and looked at her. "Just…. just don't go anywhere." Piper smiled softly and nodded.

But when Leo left, the smile fell from her face. He looked so anxious when he told her to stay, like she would run away anytime, abandoning him again- _again and again and again. _Piper wondered why he didn't hate her- she would've hated herself, if she were in his place.

But, she stared wistfully at his retreating back, Leo was _Leo- _he couldn't hate anyone, no no no, Leo couldn't do that. He would never stop searching for the goodness in people; never stop searching for happiness- _his_ happiness.

But, Leo loved other people, but never himself. Piper knew he found the goodness in everyone, because he thought no one could be _bad, _no one could be _evil _except_-_

_-_except Leo, himself.

Piper lifted her hands to brush off her bangs in a matter of habit. She froze when she realized that she no longer had them. She shut her eyes tightly as the onslaught of memories hit her.

She missed her hair.

She didn't want to change.

She wanted to change.

Jason and Reyna entered the cafeteria. His arm was loosely wrapped around her waist, and she was slightly leaning into him. Piper watched idly as Reyna laughed at something Jason said. They did make a stunning couple- one of those 'power' ones her mother's magazines always went on and on about. They seemed very complementary to each other, fitting into each other like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle- Reyna was fiercely passionate, while Jason had an aura of calmness that balanced themselves out.

Except Piper couldn't feel a _spark. _The relationship didn't _burn; _it was too- too perfect. She found it strange.

Piper had always been startlingly perceptive- reading people was her _thing. _And twisting them around her little finger was supposed to be her job- _Piper Piper, boys are such flimsy little things, breaking their hearts is so easy, Piper Piper be like mommy, Piper you're meant to control them, pull their strings, use them. _

Piper shook her head to clear her thoughts. Last thing she needed to be reminded of was her mother.

Leo was running back holding a greasy burger in his hand, with a large, bright grin on his face. Piper felt herself involuntarily smile.

"Yo! Did you miss me?"

Piper raised an eye-brow. _You wish. _

He fell with a loud plop on the chair opposite her and groaned. "The line was _huge. _It was like standing in line for a The Script concert. _Crazy!_"

_How'd you get out so fast?_

Leo shrugged and gave her a mischievous smile. "My startling good looks charmed everyone so much that they let me go to the front of the line."

Piper rolled her eyes.

"Okay okay, I know the lunch lady pretty well. Fixed the school oven a week ago."

Piper laughed. _Obviously you mechanic boy._

Leo bristled and protested half-heartedly. "My looks played a bigger roll you know. Hashtag Team Leo for the win!"

She leaned forward and knocked him on the head with her knuckle. _Idiot._

Leo slumped in his chair, and muttered, "Says the person who got excited over Central Park." Piper rolled her eyes again.

_Okay wait here mechanic boy, I gotta get some water._

"Was the burger nice?" Leo asked hopefully. Piper smiled and nodded. _I've missed Tofu burgers. _Leo gave her a self-satisfied grin.

She pushed her chair back, threw the wrapper in the dustbin right next to them, and began walking towards the water fountain which was in the other corner of the room. She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. She didn't give a shit about what that secretary lady said, she couldn't _not_ wear a hoodie at school.

Piper passed the other tables which were occupied; she noticed that new boy- Percy- sitting alone in the corner eating what suspiciously looked like a blue cookie. Annabeth was sitting quietly in a bench with other kids like her, nibbling on a piece of bread while going through her Greek textbook. Hazel and Frank weren't anywhere to be found. Jason and Reyna were sitting in what Piper assumed was the 'Popular' table.

She reached the water fountain and waited patiently as some boy, dressed completely in black, finished drinking. She glanced around the room idly. A few minutes later, the boy before her turned around, brushing past her as he left. She leaned forward to drink. She heard footsteps behind her and knew someone else was waiting. She hastened.

Piper turned around quickly, and nearly slammed into a brick wall-

-which she then realised was a well-built chest.

She immediately bowed her head in apology.

"It's fine," a deep voice replied and she looked up to see the lightly smiling face of Jason. She nodded and moved to walk past him, when his voice stopped her.

"Are you new here?" he asked conversationally as he turned to look at her. She nodded again.

They fell silent. He looked at her expectantly. Piper internally snorted. Make conversation? Yeah right.

Instead she bent her head in his direction and spun on her right heel. She made her way back to Leo. Piper could _feel _his stare on her retreating back.

If her mother was here, she would have gushed about how model-perfect Jason was, and would have pushed Piper in his direction with a wink and knowing smile. _Twist twist twist him Piper. _But mom was not there right now, and like hell Piper would get anywhere near a boy like Jason Grace.

After all, she _hated _boys like him.

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: **Seccccond chapter. Not my best, but at least it's something.

A huge _huge _thanks to **Retrobution**, **WaveHex21646**,** Book-shelfdivided**,** obsessionwithbooks**, and** Junebugcoker **for their lovely reviews! :D And thanks to whoever faved/followed.

I shall try my best to keep this story rolling. Reviews help me a lot with that. Anything, _anything _you want to question/add/remove, please leave a review or PM me :)

Lots of love

-dragonseatingme

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything.


	3. Something's Bound to Change

**The Basket Cases**

**A/N****: **You can blame Blood of Olympus for the late update.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3: <strong>Something's Bound to Change

* * *

><p><em>"Stop looking down at the ground<br>Pick it out of the clouds  
>No one's gonna put you down<br>Just let it out let it out"_

_-Clouds, Newton Faulkner _

* * *

><p><em>Annabeth<em>

"…And I expect your papers on my desk by Monday positively."

Annabeth quietly placed her books into her bag and shuffled around through it, waiting for the class to empty out. Not many students took up advanced Calculus, so it shouldn't have taken very long except Malcolm and Will were arguing about the fastest way to solve a sum, and all Annabeth wanted to do was to hit them on the head with her hard-bound textbook because they were _c__ompletely_ wrong. But instead, she resorted to checking her answers again (the fifth time that period) until they left.

After exactly three minutes, they both stood up, having exhausted their arguments, and resorted to move to AP Trigonometry to get a third opinion. Annabeth sighed in relief. She finally could get a moment alone with Mrs. P.

She approached the desk, wrapping her hands around the books in her arms. She was wearing a knee length white skirt today, with a grey, full-arm top. She had left her cardigan, folded neatly, in her locker. Her long blonde hair was loosely tied with a rubber-band, but most of the strands were escaping its restraint. She fought the urge to brush back her hair.

"…Ma'am?"

Mrs. P. looked up. With her completely white hair tied in a tight bun behind her head and her rimless spectacles and greyish blue eyes, Mrs. P. resembled those scary little grannies who waved walking sticks at people she didn't like, and was a secret agent who worked for the forces of evil in her spare time.

Annabeth _adored _her.

Mrs. P's face broke out into a wide smile. Teaching in the school for more than twenty years did not prepare her for a student like Annabeth Chase. Incredibly smart, but painfully shy, Patricia did not know when she suddenly found herself talking the girl under her wings. But she knew, Annabeth didn't really need anyone looking after her, not really.

She just needed someone to be _with _her.

"Yes Annabeth?" she said kindly, her eyes crinkling in the corner. Annabeth nervously fidgeted. "Umm- it's-it's about the Mathaletes thing. I- I don't think I can do it."

"Of course you can!" exclaimed Patricia. "You're one of the best students we have, Annabeth."

Annabeth clutched her books harder. "It's not that," she confessed. "It's more like- I don't think I'll be able to-to go up in front of so many people."

The first three levels of the tournament had been easy. There was barely anyone to watch at the local and regional levels. State level was hard, but passable. But Nationals? She couldn't handle it.

Patricia sighed softly. She leaned forward and looked Annabeth in the eye. "There are three more months to the competition, think about it till then okay? Please remember what you're going to throw away."

The National Level Mathaletes Tournament was not something you could just back out from. It was a matter of honour, prestige, and pride to participate in it. And Annabeth knew winning there would make her application to Harvard so much more impressive. It was a big deal, this tournament. Potentially life-changing.

But not life-changing enough for Annabeth to want to go on stage in front of ten-thousand people for.

She opened her mouth to reiterate the point. Patricia stopped her.

"Think about it," she said. "Just think about it more."

Annabeth paused and stared into her bluish greyish eyes, so similar to her own, yet so so different.

She nodded slowly. Mrs. P. smiled. "Now get out of here, I've got some papers to correct."

Annabeth slowly walked towards the door. Part of her was happy that Mrs. P. didn't even consider her decision to quit, but part of her was also upset because she would have to go through the entire thinking process again.

She shook her head and sighed.

When Annabeth exited the classroom, she noticed Percy leaning against the wall right opposite the door.

_What is he doing here? _She wondered. As far as she knew, Percy Jackson did not have any classes in this side of the building. All his classes, except for Greek for some strange reason, were the easiest ones school offered. She did not know whether this was because he lost out on studying while swimming or whether he was just _notverysmart._

_Probably the latter, _she thought. She ignored him as she walked past to get to her locker. She did her share by showing him his first class and later meeting up to mark all his classes on his map, along with directions to get to them. Maybe he was waiting for someone else or something.

Or he was lost.

She paused for a second, should she help him if he was lost? Was it her obligation as a fellow student of Goode High to? Did even matter? For all she knew, he might actually like leaning against walls in random corridors, who was she to judge?

She was saved from her pondering by the said boy himself. He felt into step with her casually, as if he did it all the time. They did not speak. Percy's hands were in his pockets and he did not look at Annabeth. Her arms were still wrapped around her books tightly, and she stared down at her feet. Annabeth did not understand why there was a boy walking with her to her locker.

_Coincidence?_

She found it strange he was matching his strides with her, even though his legs were long and lanky and hers were much shorter.

She found it stranger that he seemed to do it unconsciously, like it was completely normal. He didn't seem to be focussing on it at all.

They walked in silence with her looking at her feet and him staring into space. The students in the corridors pointed at them. Annabeth heard some of the whispers bouncing about- "Are they dating? They look so cute!" "What is guy like him doing with a girl like _her_?" "He actually landed Chase? Damn dude, she's a hard chick to snag." "I mean, look at them can you imagine them having a_nything _in common?"

Annabeth flushed red. She wanted to wave her hands wildly, _no no no she was not dating Percy Jackson._

She glanced at her companion. He did not seem to hear the whispers at all. Green eyes staring vacantly at nothing at all, he seemed too caught up in his thoughts to care. _How are you so nonchalant? _She wanted to ask. _How can you not care at all; isn't it impossible?_

Or maybe he did hear what they were saying and was pretending not to notice. Whatever it was, the whispers were making Annabeth very uncomfortable, she felt like a specimen in the zoo.

_Get away from me Percy Jackson, you are attracting too much attention. _

She wished she had not removed her cardigan, she always felt extra layers of clothing helped her hide. Sort of like bullet-vests, protecting her from the barrage of stares and questions.

She pulled the books tighter to her chest.

_A few more steps, _Annabeth reminded herself. _And then you would have reached your locker. Then you have AP Literature and you're out of here. Ten minutes to class, forty five minutes of class, ten minutes to get back, and ten minutes to reach the bus-stop._

_And then you'll be home in another fifteen minutes._

That added up to exactly one and a half hours, after which she would have survived her first day at school.

She reached her locker. _Step one completed._

She froze in place. Percy leaned casually beside her locker. He still didn't seem to exactly notice her presence, _what was he doing? _She tried to ignore him. The students passing them kept throwing stares and whispers.

They felt like daggers and arrows.

She removed her Literature textbook hurriedly. He wouldn't follow her to class right? This was getting far too stalkerish.

She began walking. He began walking too. Same pace, equal steps. Annabeth walked faster, Percy just increased the size of his strides.

People stared more.

Was it because he wanted to know how she knew him? He'd been all over the papers a few years ago; of course she'd remember him!

She was on the verge of hyperventilating, when she was suddenly jerked into an empty classroom.

She dropped her textbook. It fell with a loud thump, and reverberated through the empty room. Percy Jackson was clutching her right arm, and running his free hand through his raven black hair.

Annabeth jerked out of his grasp and stumbled a few feet away. He looked down at her with his blank green eyes.

They both stared at each other. _What was he thinking? _Annabeth's mind screamed. _Is he insane?_

She felt like trembling. Percy Jackson had dragged her into an empty classroom after knowing her for a day. This was starting to sound like the beginning of a horror story.

"Sorry about that," he broke out. "That was sudden."

Annabeth moved back further until her back hit the teacher's desk. He did not make any move to get closer.

He ran his fingers through his hair again, and his eyes flickered to the right. That was when it struck Annabeth, he was _nervous, _or even _distressed, _which was weird because he wasn't the one pulled into an empty classroom by someone he barely knew.

Why was he scared?

Annabeth looked at him. She did not speak. Percy did not meet her eyes, but looked at a point directly above her head.

"Look," he said. "I need a huge favour."

Annabeth's nose scrunched up.

"Umm, what?" she asked timidly. She reflexively wrapped her arms around her torso, as if she was still clutching her books. _This is fine, this is me, he is just a boy, just another silly boy._

She felt a little more comfortable.

Percy paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words.

A few seconds later, he burst out, "I need you to help me get out of gym."

Annabeth was confused. "Pardon me?"

He shook his tiredly. "This semester we're learning swimming right?" Annabeth nodded. He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't do it- I can't swim." He looked so stricken- so distressed, and Annabeth didn't know what to do. His sea-green eyes kept flickering, and he seemed genuinely _scared, _so out of his element.

He suddenly looked human, like he actually had something to care about.

"I think you're asking the- the wrong person," Annabeth stammered out. "I've never ever skipped a class in my life, let alone not go to one for an entire semester."

"I know I know, you're the wrong person," he said, frustrated. "But you're the _only _person I can ask-"

"-you, you know about me right?" he finished softly, tiredly. Annabeth slowly let out a breath. _Breathe in, breathe out darling, breathe in breathe out. You are you and he is just another boy._

The class clock told her she had exactly five minutes to get to Literature. She squeezed her arms softly.

"I-I really don't know," she confessed. "I have no idea how to get out of class, unless you have a-a doctor's certificate."

Percy looked her in the eye. "I can't get one."

"Then maybe," she took in a deep breath. "Then- then why don't you just tell them who you are?"

Percy's face became unreadable, blank. Annabeth could not look at him.

"No, no," he said roughly. "There's got to be another way."

"I'm sorry," she replied weakly. "I rea-real-really don't know."

She stayed still, not knowing what Percy Jackson would do. Would he get angry with her? Scream? Hit something?

Percy sighed. "You have Literature now right? I'll walk you there."

Annabeth was taken aback. "Don't you - don't you have class?"

"Gym," he replied. "I'd better start learning how to skip yeah?" He half-heartedly smiled. Annabeth did not understand why Percy Jackson came to her. She was the terrified, introverted nerd, who spent her all her time dreaming either about Greece or Calculus. Her only friends were the people in the Mathaletes club, who she suspected, were only nice to her because she was Malcolm's cousin. And he thought she would be able to help him? Reyna or Jason or even Leo would have been better to talk to. But he came to Annabeth Chase, the girl who was probably too scared to even speak her mind.

_What is a guy like him doing with a girl like her?_

_Precisely, _Annabeth thought.

On the walk to Literature neither of them spoke a word. She assumed he had gone back to default Percy- reserved, apathetic, uncaring. When they reached the classroom, right on time, he paused for a moment.

"How are you going back home?" he asked.

"School bus," Annabeth said. Percy nodded. "Cool. I'll see you there."

And he ambled off with his hands in his pockets, and whistling some out of tune song. Annabeth clutched her textbook hard.

Had she just made a new friend?

* * *

><p><em>Jason<em>

He threw his brand new- thousand three hundred and fifty dollars- jacket on the floor and fell on his bed with a loud thump.

The silence of the room was getting to him, the sort of empty, echoing feeling the house gave out at this time in the day. He noticed his mother had re-done the living room on his way up, as well as the second ballroom and his sister's, now bare and unoccupied, room. Jason knew it was his mother's way of moving on and accepting the fact that Thalia wouldn't be coming home anymore, but Jason couldn't help but resent her for that.

So like her to remove anything imperfect in her life- a splash of paint, a few rolls of cash, a couple of parties, and bam- Thalia Grace no longer existed.

He ran his fingers through his blonde hair tiredly. Glancing at the clock hanging right opposite his bed (antique, 18th century, Zeus won it in an auction in Vienna) he knew he had to meet his father in fifteen minutes. He had fifteen minutes to try to get his thoughts into some semblance of order, stuff himself into that new suit delivered from Paris, pick up the company quarterly reports, and walk up five flights of stairs to his father's office.

He groaned and covered his eyes.

He heard his phone beep.

_Yo Jase, have you heard of the new swimmer dude?_

Michael Lee. Jason fingered his phone. He didn't know what to make of that new kid, Percy. There was something very _off _about him. When he heard Levesque talk about him, he couldn't picture the guy wearing the US team jersey and swimming for the country. There seemed to be no patriotism in him at all. And the way he spoke to everyone, how detached he was from everything- it didn't make sense. He was an international champion, he couldn't _be _that apathetic, after all, he _had _to be passionate to make it that far.

But the boy who he had seen from school was _far _from passionate.

Both the new kids were weird, Jason mused. That Piper girl wasn't any different from Percy; both of them seemed to live in their own little worlds. When he tried making conversation with her, just for the sake of making her feel comfortable, he was stung with complete disregard. Piper frankly looked like she _hated _him, which was strange, because he had never ever met her before.

Piper weirded him out because she seemed very sure, yet unsure about herself. She reminded him of Reyna, expect Reyna strutted her confidence proudly and you could practically _see _the power rolling out from her shoulders. But Piper was more discreet, wore her beliefs in the form of rebellion, defiance and muted anger. When Jason saw her, all he could see was that she _burnt, _not in a bright, all-encompassing way, but with lots of smoke to hide behind and choke people with.

Why did keep remembering her eyes?

He replied to the message: _What about him?_

An immediate beep. _Dude, he is an Olympic swimmer._

_A retired one at that. _

_Who cares? We would _destroy_ everyone with him. _

Jason rolled his eyes.

_Good luck getting him on the team though, he doesn't seem very interested._

_I will _make _him interested ;)_

Jason snorted and flung his phone back onto the bed. Michael Lee was cool, and hosted the greatest parties, but Jason found him a little overbearing sometimes.

But whatever, he had a meeting to get ready for.

Ten minutes later, Jason sucked in a deep breath and knocked on his father's office door.

He heard a low voice telling him to enter.

The room was completely dark. Jason had to stop and blink to get used to the sudden lack of light. Zeus sat in a desk at the end of the long, rectangular room. The walls to his right and left were covered with book-shelves, with a break in the middle to lead to two different rooms. One was a miniature meeting room and the other room Jason, had never entered in his life. At the end, right in front of a huge ceiling-to-floor glass wall, was Zeus' desk. Behind him was the New York skyline, half of which the Olympus foundation probably owned. But at the moment all Jason could see was his father typing something in his laptop (the latest model available, Jason knew it had released the day before) silhouetted by the bright lights behind him.

"Father," Jason said in a low-tone. "You called for me?"

Zeus barely glanced up.

"Jason, yes. Sit down."

He sat down in the only chair in front of the desk and stared resolutely at the plaque with Zeus' name on it.

_Zeus Olympus_

_CEO_

_Founder of Olympus Inc._

Jason wondered how it would look with his name on it.

Only the sound of keys filled the room. Jason sat perfectly straight, just as he was taught how to do. He could see his reflection on the glass. Blonde hair, swept neatly to the side, dark, navy blue blazer, a light blue shirt, a tie to match. All perfectly ironed, perfectly stitched to fit his form. He had to admit, he liked this one. Compared to the last suit his mother sent him, this was a godsend.

He fought the urge to clear his throat.

His father finally looked up. Dark, stormy eyes, a nine 'o' clock shadow on his face, and thin, pursed lips.

"Have you gone through the latest company fiscal report?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you prepare your quarterly report?"

"Yes, sir."

Jason gestured to the manila folder on the desk. Zeus barely glanced at it.

"I expect you to sit for the company board's next meeting."

"When is it, sir?"

"Next week, Friday."

Jason had a football match that day. And a Student Board meeting. And a date with Reyna.

It must have shown on his face because Zeus raised an eyebrow. "You don't have any prior engagements do you?"

"Nothing that cannot be cancelled," he replied in a firm, clear tone. Jason always knew his place; he was the future CEO of Olympus Inc., everything else he did played second fiddle to his role of learning the ropes of the company. Football, school, Reyna- none of them meant more than his responsibility to his father.

Jason could not fail Zeus.

Not like his sister.

He shut his eyes for a moment.

Zeus nodded approvingly. He looked back at his laptop. "That would be all, son."

Jason swiftly stood up. "Thank you father."

He turned and made his way through the darkness again to the door knob. Reyna would be angry with him, beyond pissed actually. This was the fifth time Jason was going to cancel their date in the past three months. The football team would have to face Yancy Academy _without _their Captain and Ace, and Jason knew for fact Silena would _slaughter _him for missing another meeting.

When he reached the double doors, Jason had a childish urge to slam the door, just to tell his father that he wasn't very happy with their little 'meeting'.

He stopped at the door for a minute.

He shook his head and shut it softly.

Why did he picture Piper's defiant eyes?

* * *

><p><span><strong>AN****: **Urrghhh Blood of Olympus was so disappointing that I couldn't even _think _about writing this story without wanting to cry. You will see a distinct lack of Leo in the chapter; I don't like him very much at the moment.

Frank and Hazel, my babez will show up in the next chapter, and Reyna will have an entire segment all for herself. SHE IS FUCKING AMAZING AND MY MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER EVERRRR.

I am contemplating on bringing Nico in, suggestions please.

Looook Jasper and Percabeth development. Wooooooop! How do you guys like it?

Piper is bamf, and complicated. I love her. Annabeth is hard to write, like wuuuuuut? I do not know how this story is going to span out. BUT I GOTTA JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING (Nemo reference, ya'll)

Anyway, A HUGE HUGE THANKS TO **Daughter of Apollo 14, Nopony, obsessionwithbooks, Wisegirl2505, Retrobution, Junebugcoker **and** the real AnnaBAMFchase **FOR THEIR REVIEWS. *hearts* *hearts*

**Seaweed and Wise** and **Junebugcoker**: To answer your question about Piper, technically she _can _talk, but at the same time, she can't really talk. IT WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER. BE PATIENT MY GRASSHOPPERS.

Reviews make me happy, and happy Dragon equals faster updates (UNLESS TERRIBLE TERRIBLE BOOKS GET HER MOOD DOWN)

Anywayyyyy, lots of love

-dragonseatingme

**Disclaimer****: **Rick, Rick, Rick Riordan owns the characters and the books and everythingggggg.


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